Abbadon Rising - (NaNoWriMo2016)

Chapter One

HUSHED whispers filled the marble cathedral as the acolyte solemnly walked down the aisle to the altar at the front of the room, under the pinnacle of the dome that made up half of the open-air hall. A sweet wind blew in through the open arched windows, and a glowing pink sky peeked out from behind jovial white clouds. The acolyte's steps were muted by her soft white slippers as she slowly made her way to the front of the room. At the front of the room stood the Abbadon who was the leader of the church and head of the Planetary caste; therefore making her the leader of the Council. The acolyte reached the front of the room and snapped her fingers, igniting a flame on one fingertip. She lowered her fingers to the white candles on the altar, and the whole congregation watched intently as they caught aflame. The Abbadon watched her disciple with pride as she completed the ceremony initiating the worship, and then took her place to the side of the altar, sinking to her knees and praying.

Abigail finished whispering the words of the sacred prayer to her as the Abbadon began her sermon. Abi usually tuned out the Abbadon to focus on her own worship, and this ceremony was no different. Her hands rose to the gem pattern on her forehead and lightly traced the orange gems that framed her eyes in a pattern like a crown and she sighed quietly as she felt their energy run through her veins, hers to command. The worship passed in a blur as Abi focused her energy on the planets above, and she could feel the push and pull of their psychic energies as they interacted with her and the world she lived in. Abi was always able to feel the planets and their energies, but as an Elemental she shouldn't have. She knew that interacting with the planet was a privilege reserved for the Planetaries, but she couldn't help but explore her power. As a fire elemental, Abi had the power to control fire, but she also had powers that were atypical for anyone. Time flew by as Abi lost herself in the worship and feeling her power surround her.

"And thus we conclude the ceremony." The Abbadon's voice rang clearly through the cathedral, cutting through Abi's thoughts like a knife. Abi rose from her kneeling position as the Abbadon gestured to her perfunctorily, and Abi walked to the front of the altar and extinguished the candles. Abi bowed to the small statue of the Goddess in the middle of the altar and backed away from it then turned around and walked back up the aisle to the antechamber off the main cathedral. She quickly changed out of her ceremonial robes and put on her street clothes, a brown skirt that stopped just under her knees and a green shirt with a black sweater on top. After Abi was finished adjusting her soft leather boots she walked out of the cathedral, bowing to the Abbadon as she left. The bright early morning sunshine warmed Abi to the core even as the cold air nipped at her nose and ears. Abi clutched her sweater to herself tighter as she dove into the throng of people walking around on the wide street of the capital of Midall, Plach. The building of the city stretched into the sky like fingers, made up of rounded edges and muted colors, so much unlike the buildings of the other cities around them. The cobbled road gave the city a rugged and small-town look even though Plach was the biggest city in the country.

Abi made it to her home, a small hut in a village on the outskirts of Plach past where the cobbled road turned to dirt. She smiled at her neighbors as she walked by, and they all took an extreme interest at their shoes. Abi's smile faded as her neighbor's eyes cast downwards when she passed, and she admonished herself. Even though she knew why her neighbors treated her like they did, it still hurt. No one wanted to risk making eye contact with a Psychic. Psychics were only whispered about around campfires and talked about as myth, and tales of Psychics who went crazy from their power were common folklore.

Abi stepped into the doorway of her home. A couch took up one wall adjacent to the large fireplace that took up the other w all. Abi dropped her cloak into the wicker chair by the door and released her breath as her eyes teared up at the acrid smell of old smoke from the fire that had burnt out just after she'd left that morning. Abi's quiet was soon interrupted with an abrupt knock on the door. She turned to face that door she had just come through and opened the peephole. Standing outside her door was a servant who was employed to a Planetary. This fact was obvious because his uniform was made out of rich purple velvet, and it was embroidered with the patterns of stars. The servant's scrawny face was twisted into an expression of annoyance as he glanced at his watch and knocked impatiently once again. Abi swum the door open and the servant startled, his face reddening just a bit as he saw Abi's irate expression.